Today, there exist different types of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERSs) in vehicles driven by internal combustion engines (ICEs). Such KERSs are also used in hybrid electric motor vehicles having power trains with multiple power sources including an electric motor for driving vehicle wheels independently of or in combination, depending on driving conditions, with the ICE, and depending on the state of charge of a traction battery, and the power source(s), i.e., the electric motor/generator and/or the ICE, that most efficiently fulfils the present demand of power imposed by the operator of the vehicle and/or road conditions.
One example of such a KERS in a hybrid electric motor vehicle is disclosed in US 2009/0188732 A1.
However, the constant increasing demand on lowering costs for power trains, hence also hybrid electric power trains, and reducing both fuel consumption and the overall environmental stress and influence from manufacture and maintenance of parts making up vehicles over the whole life cycle for vehicle fleets have created a need for further improvement of such KERS systems.